General News
7 May, 2025
LUCK OF THE DRAW
By GARY WALSH A QUIRK of the 2025 North Central football and netball fixture is likely to have a massive say in the make-up of the final four in both sports. The merger of Nullawil and Wycheproof Narraport to create Calder United has cut the number...
By GARY WALSH
A QUIRK of the 2025 North Central football and netball fixture is likely to have a massive say in the make-up of the final four in both sports.
The merger of Nullawil and Wycheproof Narraport to create Calder United has cut the number of teams in the league from nine to eight.
After clubs play each other home and away, the final two rounds of the season see rounds one and two repeated, giving a huge advantage to some clubs and a major disadvantage to others.
In football, currently undefeated Birchip Watchem will play Charlton away and Donald at home in the last two rounds, both of which teams are almost certain to be in the bottom three of the ladder.
Wedderburn, on the other hand, has to travel for a second time to face defending premiers Sea Lake Nandaly on its home turf in round 15 before playing struggling St Arnaud in the last round.
The Redbacks are likely to be battling for a place in the finals with Boort and Calder, with Birchip Watchem and Sea Lake Nandaly seen to be well ahead of the chasing pack. Boort, which sits on top of the ladder after three rounds, will play St Arnaud away and Charlton at home at the end of the season, having thrashed both teams in the opening two rounds.
So, the luck of the draw seems to have favoured the Magpies over Wedderburn, with them emerging as the big winners from the lopsided fixture – and a lopsided ladder.
Calder faces Donald in round 15 and then Sea Lake Nandaly.
The same three sides – Charlton, Donald and St Arnaud – are the bottom teams in A Grade netball, setting the scene for a similar battle for the last two spots in the finals. Wedderburn and Boort appear to be a class above the rest of the league.
That leaves the Loddon pair in battle with the big three of Birchip Watchem, Sea Lake Nandaly and Calder United for top spots.
Last season, the nine-team competition was played over 18 rounds, with clubs meeting home and away along with two byes each, so there was no issue with an unbalanced draw.
The uncompetitive nature of some of the teams in both senior football and A Grade netball made a draw that was fair to all clubs all but impossible.
The fixture was announced in November last year but there have been significant changes in the fortunes of some clubs since the draw was made.
Donald, which made the finals in senior football in 2025 and finished fourth, subsequently lost the vast majority of its playing list.
The Royal Blues are now last on the ladder after being thrashed in their first three games and have a dismal percentage of 9.53.
Charlton won its first match since 2023 last week, but its percentage is only 19.72.
The chasm between the top five teams and the three languishing at the tail of the table will make for some horribly unequal contests for the rest of the season.